[News] Israel pours $730m into global propaganda machine as reputation collapses

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 Israel pours $730m into global propaganda machine as reputation collapses

Experts agree that the mass spending on 'Hasbara' will do little to reverse
Israel's reputational freefall

News Desk <https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9>

MAY 1, 2026 -
https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-pours-730m-into-global-propaganda-machine-as-reputation-collapses
(Photo credit: Shutterstock)

Israeli lawmakers last month approved a sharp increase in the 2026 public
diplomacy budget, allocating roughly $730 million to the global messaging
apparatus, also known as “Hasbara,” according to a report by the *Jerusalem
Post* <https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894645> on 29 April.

Surveys point to a deepening collapse in international support, as Israel’s
genocide in Gaza and continued aggression toward its neighboring countries
have sent the Tel Aviv's reputation into freefall on the global stage.

The funding accounts for more than four times the previous year’s
allocation, and forms part of a broader push led by Israeli Foreign
Minister Gideon Saar, who characterized the effort as a strategic
imperative, saying it should be treated “like investing in jets, bombs, and
missile interceptors” and calling it “an existential issue.”

The campaign spans large-scale digital outreach and political engagement
aimed at bending perceptions and  influencing  narratives around Israel.

Around $50 million is being funneled into social media advertising, and
roughly $40 million is going toward flying in foreign delegations such as
politicians, clergy, and influencers as part of the outreach effort.

Officials insist the strategy improves perceptions abroad, with Israel’s
consul general in Los Angeles, Israel Bachar, claiming that “Everyone who
returns from the country understands better and is more supportive. But you
have to fly out a lot of people.”

However, polling data cited in the reports shows a sharp collapse in public
opinion towards Israel, particularly in the US.

A Pew Research Center survey found that 60 percent
<https://thecradle.co/articles/nearly-60-percent-of-us-citizens-now-view-israel-unfavorably-after-war-on-iran-poll>
of US respondents now view Israel unfavorably, with declines cutting across
political, religious, and demographic groups.

Analysts and researchers dismiss the spending outright, arguing it cannot
offset the impact of Israel’s actions on the ground.

Communication scholar Nicholas Cull said, “Our conclusion was, it’s the
policy, stupid,” referring to Israel’s policy of genocide and apartheid,
and its broader military conduct as a central pillar of its expansionist
agenda.

“Yes, you can do a lot with public diplomacy, and there are strategies that
could help on the margins. But they’re only going to affect a small
percentage, because the bulk of the impressions on issues that people care
about are shaped by the actual policies, not how well you sell those
policies.”

“The problem is that people don’t believe the state anymore,” said Ilan
Manor, another expert cited in the report, warning that increased funding
may expand reach but will not restore trust.

That push is reinforced by what Israeli officials describe as a
parallel “Eighth
Front
<https://thecradle.co/articles/the-eighth-front-israels-digital-iron-dome-and-the-narrative-battle>”
– a so-called “Digital Iron Dome” that combines mass reporting campaigns,
AI-driven targeting, and coordinated influencer networks to suppress
dissenting content and flood platforms with state-approved narratives in
real time.

Israel had invested millions in coordinated digital influence campaigns,
including a $6-million contract to shape AI outputs
<https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-invests-millions-to-game-chatgpt-into-replicating-pro-israel-content-for-gen-z-audiences>,
targeted Gen Z messaging, and large-scale ad buys, in an effort to control
online narratives and counter declining public support in the US.

The country’s propaganda arm had previously deployed a large network of at
least hundreds of fake social media accounts and fabricated news sites to
spread unverified claims linking UNRWA
<https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-deploys-army-of-bots-to-spread-anti-unrwa-propaganda-report>
to Hamas's 7 October Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in order to undermine its
humanitarian mission in Palestine.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20260501/1148c8dc/attachment.htm>